The Dove and the Serpent: True to your Heart
by thesituation016
Summary: PT:3 After the loss of Loki Vanessa had never felt so alone or heart broken and then when he returns its like her nightmare is just getting worse. (This is a cross over between X-men 1-3, Fantastic Four 1 with a Fantastic Four 2 cameo, Ghost Rider cameo, Spider-man and Daredevil mention, Iron Man 1-3, Thor 1-2, and Avengers.)
1. Chapter 1

Vanessa opened her door of her luxury penthouse and slipped inside ready for a good long sleep. The party her father had forced her to go to had lasted way to long for her comfort especially with every available bachelor vying for her attention, but she had lost the only man she would ever love and would never even think about loving another no matter what.

"Good morning." A calm voice said making Vanessa jump about a foot in the air.

"What the heck? Coulson?" Vanessa snapped placing a hand over her heart as she got ready to beat the heck out of him for scarring her.

"Sorry Vanessa, didn't mean to startle you." He said with that annoying smile of his.

"Yeah, sure." Vanessa grumbled as she walked into the kitchen, Coulson following. "What brings you to my humble abode at this indecent hour?"

"The Avengers Initiative." Coulson said. Sensing that this was going to be a long talk she motioned for him to have a seat them went about making coffee.

"You mean that thing that Fury wanted my dad and I for?" Vanessa asked as she waited for the coffee machine to finish.

"That's the one." Coulson said as she poured the coffee. She offered him some which he took with a nod of thanks.

"But I thought Fury said no to dad in the end." Vanessa said as she sipped her coffee.

"Well you aren't exactly your dad." Coulson pointed out. "It was my understanding that Agent Romanoff had approved of you."

"Then what do you need me for?" Vanessa asked.

"An important device called the Tesseract was stolen from SHIELD by a man bent on world domination." Coulson said. Vanessa looked over the files of the cube deep in thought.

"What's his name? The world dominator?" Vanessa asked putting the file down and picking her coffee back up.

"Loki." Coulson said and Vanessa dropped her coffee the mug shattering on impact. Coulson looked at her with worry at her reaction. "Vanessa, are you alright?"

"Loki? Loki of Asgard Loki?" Vanessa asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes." Coulson said slowly.

"He's alive?" Vanessa breathed out placing a hand on the counter to stop herself from falling over.

"What do you mean?" Coulson asked.

"That's not possible, he fell, Thor said he was dead." Vanessa said not hearing Coulson. "Thor said he fell and he died!"

"You knew him." Coulson said and Vanessa snapped.

"I loved him." She almost yelled. "All this time I thought he was dead and he was just what? Gallivanting through the cosmos and now he decides to attack my world?! Where is he now?"

"We don't know as of yet." Coulson said watching cautiously as she gripped her necklace in both hands. "Vanessa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine…I'm fine." Vanessa said taking deep calming breaths. "When do we leave?"

"Get packed and I'll pick you up tomorrow at these coordinates." Coulson answered deciding not to ask any more questions.

"Ok." Vanessa said as she took the card he offered.

"Don't be late." Coulson said as he left.

"I won't." Vanessa replied closing the door behind him. So many emotions ran through her.

It had been little over a year since he had supposedly died and now he was back. She didn't know what to do. At first she was angry and then a happy light of hope lit up inside of her full blast. He was alive, the man she loved was alive. All at once she couldn't help the joy that erupted inside of her. She went to sleep that night hoping to see him, to talk to him, but he never came.


	2. Chapter 2

Vanessa walked out to the designated landing area in the middle of Central Park to wait for Coulson. She was wearing an off the shoulder blue sweater, a black draped vest, a pair of skinny jeans that tucked into ankle length black lace up boots, her hair was loose reaching the middle of her back, and a pair of sunglasses covered her eyes. She had a duffel bag flung over her shoulder as she walked along the paved walkway.

Looking around she noticed a tall blonde man also in the clearing, then realization struck her. She recognized him instantly from the reports she had gotten and the pictures she had seen of him. She silently made her way over to him until she was standing behind him. Feeling a little mischievous she decided to have a little fun.

"Attention!" Vanessa said in an authority filled voice and like a whip Steve Rogers snapped to attention. Vanessa burst out laughing and doubled over as Steve looked down at her in confusion. At her height of "5, 5" he towered over her. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. You must be Steve Rogers."

"Yes ma'am I am." Steve said recognizing her from the files he's been given. He had also seen the footage of her fight at Alcatraz. She was definitely a force to contend with. "You're Vanessa Stark."

"Yep." Vanessa asked as she sat down on a nearby bench to wait for Coulson followed by Steve who sat down next to her. "So, how you enjoying the twenty first century?"

"It's strange." He said after a time of silence.

"I'll bet." Vanessa commented. "So you knew my grandpa?"

"Yes, I did." Steve said with a nod.

"What was he like?" Vanessa asked.

"He was really smart and a bit of a flirt." Steve said and told her about some of his interactions with her grandfather, the fondue story really got her laughing.

"He sounds a lot like my dad." Vanessa said with a small laugh. Then she really looked him over. "You know you look exactly like Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four?"

"Who?" He asked in confusion. Vanessa took her photo journal at from her bag. It was red with a rose engraved on the front and contained pictures of friends both drawn and taken. She flipped through it until she found a picture of Johnny and showed it to him.

"It's un-canny." Vanessa said as Steve starred at the picture in amazement. "I didn't know Captain America had kids."

"I don't, I mean it's impossible, I've never even…" He came to an abrupt stop, his ears turning bright red making Vanessa giggle.

"Oh, well I guess physical similarities are bound to repeat over time and don't worry, so am I." Vanessa said with a wink making Steve blush even harder. "Unlike my father I believe in saving it for after marriage." Vanessa continued as the Quin-Jet came in for a landing. "Looks like our rides here."

"Here let me take that for you Miss Stark." Steve said picking up her bag.

"Thanks, and you can call me Vanessa." Vanessa said as she followed him to the jet.

"Then call me Steve." Steve replied. Coulson walked out with a big smile upon spotting Steve.

"Hello Coulson." Vanessa said as she walked into the jet.

"Morning Vanessa, Captain." Coulson said as they sat down and the jet took off.

One of the pictures in Vanessa's journal fell out as they settled into the jet. She reached down to get it, but Steve beat her to it. Looking down the picture which was a group photo of her friends and teachers at school his eyes widened in shock.

"James?" Steve said.

"Who?" Vanessa asked as she looked at the picture as well, not remembering a James. Steve pointed to Logan. "That's Logan, he also goes by Wolverine." Then her eyes widened. No one, not even Logan knew how old he really was. "Holy crap, you knew him!"

"I probably knew his grandfather." Steve said shaking his head.

"No you don't understand. Logan is a mutant with uncharted healing abilities and it slowed his aging, but somewhere along the line he lost his memory. He only has bits and pieces left." Vanessa said shocking Steve. "This is great! You might be able to help him through some of his memories."

"Well I don't know much about him. We only fought a few battles together with his brother Victor." Steve said.

"He had a brother? Well he certainly didn't know that so it's a start. Maybe after all of this is over you can come with me to the school and talk to him." Vanessa said hopefully.

"I'd like that; it'd be nice to see a familiar face." Steve said with a smile. "Even if we didn't always see eye to eye."

-0-

The jet had been up in the air for a while and Coulson was still grinning like a Cheshire cat. This was a dream come true for him. Vanessa was sitting next to Steve as he read through the files. Steve and Coulson were going over the recruits while Vanessa fiddled with her phone.

"So this doctor Banner was trying to replicate the serum they used on me?" Steve asked after it was reported that they were forty minutes from the base.

"A lot of people were, you were the world's first super hero." Coulson said. "Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula."

"Didn't really go his way did it?" Steve said looking over the video of the Hulk going crazy.

"Not so much. When he's not that thing, though, the guys like a Stephen Hawking." Coulson said, but Steve gave him a confused look not knowing who Coulson was talking about. "He's like a smart person."

"Like Albert Einstein." Vanessa supplied and realization dawned on Steve's face. They rode in silence for a little longer and Vanessa soon lost herself in thought as the guy's talked. The thought that Loki was alive had been racing through her since Coulson had told her. Glancing up at Coulson Vanessa noticed it looked like he was about to pop.

"I gotta say, it's an honor, to meet you officially. I sort of met you I mean, I watched you while you were asleep." Coulson finally stuttered out.

"Coulson, please stop talking." Vanessa said with a pained smile.

"I mean I was present while you were unconscious from the ice." He tried to fix as Steve got up and walked to the front of the ship with Coulson not too far behind. "You know it's just a huge honor to have you on board."

"Smooth Coulson, real smooth." Vanessa said with a smile as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

"I just hope I'm the man for the job." Steve said uncertainly.

"You are, absolutely." Coulson said. "We made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input."

"The uniform?" Steve asked. "Aren't the stars and stripes a little…old fashioned."

"With everything that is happening, the things about to come to light, people just might need a little old fashioned." Coulson said as Vanessa fell asleep as Coulson and Steve continued to talk.


	3. Chapter 3

"Vanessa, we're here, wake up." Steve said as he gently nudged Vanessa awake. Vanessa grumbled trying to swat the person away half-heartedly, but they were persistent. "Come on Vanessa."

"Ok, ok keep your shirt on soldier boy, I'm up." Vanessa said with a yawn and stretch.

She made to grab her duffle, but once again Steve was the gentleman and insisted on carrying it for her. The stepped out onto the carried into the bright sun and Vanessa was glad she had her sunglasses on still. She and Steve's things were taken by some of the crew as they were approached by a red headed woman.

"Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers." Coulson introduced them.

"Ma'am." Steve said.

"Hi." She replied then turned to Coulson.

"And you remember Vanessa." Coulson said.

"It's good to see you again." Vanessa said with a smile.

"You to." Natasha said returning the smile then turned to Coulson. "They need you on the bridge, they're starting the face-trace."

"See you there." Coulson said and left and Natasha led them through the organized chaos.

"It was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice." Natasha said to Steve. "I thought Coulson was going to swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"

"Trading cards?" Steve asked with a smile.

"They're vintage, he's very proud." Natasha said.

"That's putting it mildly." Vanessa commented as they approached the very nervous and misplaced looking Bruce Banner.

"Dr. Banner." Steve called out to him.

"Yeah, hi." Bruce said as he went to shake Steve's hand. "They told me you'd be coming."

"Word is you can find the cube." Steve said with a smile.

"Is that the only word on me?" Bruce asked.

"The only one I care about." Steve assured him.

"This must be strange for you, all of this." Banner said gesturing around.

"Well this is actually kind of familiar." Steve said as Bruce turned to Vanessa.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa." Vanessa said shaking his hand.

"Yeah, I read about you." He commented.

"Oh not that stupid article about the Stark legacy and how I'm next? I hate that article, makes my life sound like a hierarchy." Vanessa groused making Banner and Steve laugh.

"No, it was the article you did with Reed Richards. It was very good." Banner said making Vanessa smile.

"Bruce is my favorite now." Vanessa said as she looped her arm with his.

"Gentlemen, Vanessa you might want to step inside in a minute. It's going to get a little hard to breathe." Natasha said as the ship started to rumble and shift.

"Wow, what's going on?" Vanessa asked as they neared the edge of the ship looking over.

"Is this a submarine?" Steve asked.

"Really? They want me in a submerged, pressurized, metal container?" Banner said humorlessly. Suddenly round giant fans appeared and they started to lift in the air. "Oh no this is much worse."

-0-

They walked into the bridge were various agents were at work in their stations or milling about between them.

"Gentlemen." Fury said as he walked up to them. Vanessa watched curiously as Steve gave Fury a ten spot then he walked over to Banner. "Dr. Banner, thank you for coming."

"Thank you for asking nicely." Bruce said not really making eye contact. "So how long am I staying?"

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the wind." Fury said.

"Where are you with that?" Bruce asked.

"We're sweeping every wireless accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us." Coulson said as Vanessa walked over to some chairs and plopped down.

"That's still not gonna find them in time." Natasha said looking at a picture of Barton on a screen.

"You have to narrow the field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?" Bruce asked.

"How many are there?" Fury asked.

"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?" Bruce asked.

"Agent Romanoff, would you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please." Fury announced. Vanessa who had taken to spinning in a chair slowly came to a stop when she realized Fury was staring at her.

"Yes." Vanessa drew out.

"Miss Stark, I want you with Banner on this." Fury said.

"Ok, but I'm telling you, my dad may be a pain in the butt, but he is a smart pain in the butt. You might want to call him in." Vanessa said as she hopped up from her seat.

"I'll bring it under consideration." Fury said as Vanessa nodded and followed Banner and Natasha down the hall.

"You're going to love it Doc., Vanessa. We got all the toys." Natasha said as she led the doctor away down a hall, but not before she heard Coulson talking to Steve.

"I mean if it's not too much trouble." Coulson said to Steve.

"No, no it's fine." Steve assured him.

"It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but…" Coulson explained Vanessa bit her lip trying not to laugh as she ran to catch up with the others.

"Sweet." Vanessa said when they walked into the lab and instantly went over to the computer and started to type.

"I'll leave you two to it." Natasha said and left. The only thing that filled the room for a time was typing as they started up different programs to find the cube.

"You seem calm." Banner commented breaking the silence.

"Should I not be?" Vanessa asked not looking up from the computer.

"Most people tend to be jumpier around me when they know what I am." The Doctor said looking at her over his glasses as he worked.

"People tend to be jumpy around my kind as well." Vanessa said as she finally pried her eyes from the screen and saw his confused look. Rolling her eyes she raised her hand and her phone that she left on the counter top across the room floated over to her. "Banner, I'm a mutant and being a mutant teaches a very important lesson, understanding."

"Wow, I never would have guessed." He said, wide eyed.

"Yeah, I don't advertise nor do I keep it a secret. Everyone who figures it out knows and those who don't…" Vanessa trailed off with a shrug as she tied her hair up into a ponytail and got back to work.

It wasn't long after this that while they were working they were told that the Captain had gone after Loki. Vanessa felt the blood run from her face and her hands started to shake, but quickly recovered throwing herself into her work.

Bruce caught a glimpse of her look, but wasn't sure if he had really seen it because it was gone so quick. The next time they were informed about anything it was when came back with Thor and Vanessa's father to boot.

Vanessa watched Loki walk by the glass screen a smirk playing across his features as he looked at Doctor Banner then he looked to Vanessa and his smile fell. Vanessa watched him until he was out of sight.

"Loki." Vanessa said sadly then noticed Banner rubbing his eyes. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." He said slipping his glasses back on then noticed the tear that escaped her eye. "How about you?"

"Fine." Vanessa said quickly as she wiped the tear away angrily.

"Vanessa do you…do you know Loki?" Bruce asked making the correlation to her reaction and Loki's presence. Vanessa opened and closed her mouth a few times not knowing how to answer.

'Stark, Banner we need you in the control room.' Fury said over the intercom saving Vanessa from having to answer.

"Right." Vanessa said as they walked out into the hall. She looked both ways then turned to Bruce. "Which way was the control room?"

"This way." Bruce said with a laugh as he led her down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone either stood or sat around the briefing room table and listened in on Fury and Loki's conversation. Vanessa's hands were clutched tightly in front of her as she watched trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. She tried to ignore Bruce's frequent concerned looks; eventually she knew she had to tell him something.

"Incase it's unclear," Fury said and typed on the computer, "You try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass, 30,000 feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant, boot."

"It's an impressive cage; not built I think, for me." Loki laughed.

"Built for something a lot stronger than you," Fury said, and crossed my arms.

"Oh, I've heard," Loki said and looked at the camera, "A mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you."

Vanessa shot to her feet not able to sit still anymore and walked away from the screens.

"How desperate am I?" Fury asked, "You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control, you talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that ya did."

"Ooh, it burns you to have come so close, to have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power, and for what? A warm light for all of mankind to share? And then to be reminded what real power is." Loki said as Vanessa came back over to the table. What he said rang a bell somewhere in the back of her mind.

"Well, let me know if real power wants a magazine or something," Fury said walking away.

"Loki, what are you doing?" Vanessa whispered to herself with world weary sigh then startled slightly when it seemed that Loki snapped his head to the screen right before it went off line. She shook her head sadly wondering what had become of the Loki she had fallen in love with.

"He really grows on you doesn't he?" Bruce asked.

"Loki's gonna drag this out," Steve said. "So, Thor, what's his play?"

"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asguard or of any world known." Thor said, "He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return I suspect for the Tesseract."

"An army? From outer space," Cap said.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Eric Selvig for." Bruce said.

"Selvig?" Thor asked.

"He's an astrophysicist," Bruce said as Vanessa was walking over.

"I've met him, he's extremely brilliant." Vanessa added.

"He's a friend." Thor said.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours." Natasha said bitterly. The more she heard the sicker Vanessa got.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him." Cap said. "He's not leading an Army from here."

"I know, he seems amused, like this is all some sort of game to him and he's just biding his time." Vanessa mused knowing how smart he was.

"I don't think we need to be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy on him," Bruce said.

"Have care on how you speak," Thor said, "Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asguard, and he is my brother."

"He's killed 80 people, in 2 days." Natasha said making Vanessa flinch and close her eyes in pain trying to stop her tears.

"He's adopted." Thor said. Vanessa's eyes popped open and she shot him an extremely venomous look before masking it with a stone face, but not before Thor saw it, he had seen all of her reactions. He could tell she was still in love with his brother and more than likely still mad at him.

"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium, what do they need the iridium for?" Bruce asked getting everyone back on task.

"It's the stabilizing agent," Stark said walking into the room with Coulson. "So the portal won't collapse on itself like it did on SHIELD. No hard feelings point break you've got a mean swing," Stark patted Thor on the arm as he passed by then gave Vanessa a quick one armed hug. "Hey kiddo."

"Hey dad." Vanessa replied. "Can't believe Fury caved and brought you in."

"Me either." Stark said the continued on without missing a beat. "Also, it means the portal can stay wide, and open as long as Loki wants."

"So he can bring as many as he wants to Earth." Vanessa said. "We're looking at a full scale invasion."

"Seems that way, Nessa." Stark said then let out orders, and everyone looked at him like he was an idiot. "That man is playing Galaga. Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Stark said pointing at a guy. Steve perked up clearly interested in the old game. Stark covered one of his eyes. "How does Fury even see these?"

"He turns," Hill said.

"Sounds exhausting." Stark said. "The rest of the raw materials agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source of high energy density." Stark said, "Something to kick-start the cube."

"When did you become an expert at thermo-nuclear-astrophysics?" Hill asked.

"Last night," Stark said. "The extraction. Selvig's notes. The extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"

"Would Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Cap asked.

"He'd have to heat the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the cool room barrier," Bruce said.

"Unless Selvig has figured out a way to stabilize the quantum telling effect," Stark said.

"Well if he could do that he could create heavy ion fusion in any reactor on the planet," Bruce said.

"Finally, someone other than my daughter who speaks English," Stark said

"Is that what just happened?" Steve asked.

"Just think about needing the right kind of battery." Vanessa explained. Steve nodded, understanding a little better.

"Dr. Banner, you're work is unparalleled and I'm a big fan of how you lose control and turn into an enormous rage monster." Tony said shaking Bruce's hand.

"Thank you." Bruce said uncertainly.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube." Fury said. "I was hoping you might join him."

"You may want to start on that stick of his. It may be magical but it works an awful lot like a hydra weapon." Cap said.

"The staff is powered by the cube, and I'd like to know how Loki turned two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys." Fury said.

"Monkeys? I do not understand-" Thor started to say.

"-I do!" Cap said then looking around noticing the looks he was getting. "I understood that reference."

"Don't worry cap, we'll get you up to speed on the vernacular after all of this is over." Vanessa said patting his back.

"Shall we play, Dr?" Stark asked Bruce.

"If you say so," Bruce said.

"Come on Nessa." Tony called out.

"I'll be there in a bit, I need something to eat." Vanessa asked.

"You couldn't find your way her, but you know where the Cafeteria is?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Priorities." Vanessa said patting her stomach as she started to walk in that general direction, but had no real intent on going to the cafeteria, she was going to sneak in to see Loki. She was about to change her course when she realized she was being followed. She came to a sudden stop and whipped around coming face to chest with Thor. She bent her head back to look up at him. "Can I help you, Thor?"

"I heard the mention of food and wished to join you." He said with a smile.

"Right." Vanessa drew out shooting him an irritated look after all they had not parted on the best of terms. She turned around starting down the hall again with Thor falling into step beside her. She would have to get him settled before she could see Loki. She led him into the cafeteria where she showed him how to properly get the food. By the end of it his trey was piled extremely high, mostly with pop tarts that he had had to ask for. "I'd ask how you've been, but I don't really care."

"Lady Vanessa, I confess I have another reason for asking to come with you." He said as they sat down ignoring her slight against him.

"Not that I hadn't already guessed that, what would that reason be?" Vanessa asked as she opened her bottle of Pepsi.

"My brother has changed since the dreams he had shared with you." Thor said causing Vanessa to raise an eyebrow as she gripped her bottle tighter.

"I noticed." Vanessa said with a dark look. "Does this conversation have a point? I got things to do."

"Whatever my brother was like when you knew him know that he has changed and not for the better." Thor said looking straight into her eyes. "I do not wish to see you get hurt."

"Good to know, now if you will excuse me, I have to go help my dad and Bruce." Vanessa said in a tight voice, but paused for a moment. "If only you had shown Loki half this much concern maybe things would have been better all around."

Vanessa turned on her heel not waiting for his reaction and left the cafeteria.


	5. Chapter 5

"The gamma range is definitely consistent with Selvig's reports with the tesseract." Bruce said as he ran a scanner over the scepter. "It's going to take week to process."

"If we bypass their mainframe and direct route to their homer cluster, we can clock this at around 600 teraflops." Tony responded as he fiddled with his giant computer.

"All I packed was a toothbrush." Bruce laughed nervously.

"You know Bruce you should come by Stark towers sometime, top ten floors all R&D." Stark said while walking over to them. "You'd love it, its Candy land."

"Thanks but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke Harlem." Bruce said.

"Ok, well I promise a stress free environment. No tension, no surprises." Stark said as he circled around Bruce then poked him in the side with a small metal stick that gave off an electrical discharge.

"Ow." Bruce jerked as Tony got real close to see if his eyes changed colors.

"Hey." Steve snapped as he walked into the lab.

"Nothing." Stark said still talking to Bruce.

"Are you nuts?" Steve asked with a glare.

"Jury's out." Stark replied. "You really have got a lid on it. What's your secret? Mellow jazz, bongo drums, huge bag of weed?" Stark questioned.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve asked.

"Funny things are." Stark replied.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny." Steve said added then turned to Bruce. "No offense Doc."

"It's all right. I wouldn't have come on board if I couldn't handle pointy things." Bruce said still working as a slight smile played along his mouth.

"You're tip-toeing big man. You need to strut." Stark said walking over and grabbing a bag of blueberries from the snacks Kayla had brought.

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." Steve said.

"Do you think I'm not?" Stark questioned. "Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all of the variables."

"You think Fury is hiding something?" Steve asked.

"He's a spy. Captain he is the spy. His secrets have secrets." Tony said as he popped a handful of berries into his mouth then gesture to Bruce and Olivia. "It bugging him to, isn't it?"

"Uh…I just want to finish my work here and…" Bruce said when Stark looked at him.

"Doctor?" Steve questioned.

"A warm light for all mankind." Bruce said. "Loki's jab as Fury about the cube."

"I heard it." Steve said.

"Well I think that was meant for you." Bruce said pointing to Tony who then offered him some of his blueberries which he took. "Even if Barton didn't tell Loki about the tower, it was still all over the news."

"The Stark Tower? That big, ugly," Steve froze for a moment as Stark raised an eyebrow. "building in New York?"

"It's powered by an arc reactor, a self-sustaining energy source." Bruce said.

"That building will run itself for, what, a year?" Bruce asked.

"It's just the prototype." Stark said. "I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now. That's what he's getting at."

"So why didn't S.H.I.E.L.D. bring him in on the Tesseract project?" Bruce asked. "What are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"

"I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret files." Stark said walking over to Steve with a monitor in hand.

"I'm sorry, did you say…" Steve asked, but Stark cut him off.

"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge." Stark said. "In a few hours I will know every dirty secret S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever tried to hide, blueberry?" Stark offered Steve.

"And yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around." Steve said.

"An intelligence organization that fear intelligence? Historically not awesome." Stark said.

"I think Loki is trying to wind us up." Steve said. "This is a man who means to start a war and if we don't stay focused he'll succeed. We have orders we should follow them."

"Following's not really my style." Stark said.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve asked.

"Of the people in this room, which one is A wearing a spangly outfit and B not of use?" Stark asked causing Steve to glare at him.

"Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you." Bruce said.

"Just find the cube." Steve said then left.

"That's the guy my dad never shut up about?" Stark asked clearly miffed. "I'm wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice."

"Huh, the guys not wrong about Loki." Bruce said. "He does have the jump on us."

"What he's got is an Acme dynamite kit." Stark said. "It's going to blow up in his face and I'm going to be their when it does."

"Well I'll read all about it." Bruce said.

"Or you'll be suiting up with the rest of us." Stark said earning a mirthless laugh from Bruce.

"You see I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed. Like a nerve." Bruce said. "It's a nightmare."

"I've got a cluster of shrapnel trying every second to crawl its way into my heart." Tony said as he walked over to Bruce then points to his arc reactor. "This stops it. This little circle of light its part of me now, not just armor. It's a terrible privilege."

"But you can control it." Bruce pointed out.

"Because I learned how." Stark said.

"It's different." Bruce said with a shake of his head.

"Hey I read all about your accident, that much gamma exposure should have killed you." Stark said.

"So you're saying that the Hulk…the other guy saved my life?" Bruce said. "That's nice. It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?"

"I guess we'll find out." Stark said.

"You may not enjoy that." Bruce said.

"And you just might." Stark said. They were working in relative silence for a moment before Bruce spoke again.

"Tony does Vanessa know Loki?" Bruce asked causing Tony's head to snap up.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked evasively.

"Well we saw him when he was brought in today and when they spotted each other she seemed to get really sad." Bruce said. "And during Loki and Fury's exchange she was really tense as well as through the rest of the meeting. Did you see how she reacted to different information on what Loki had done?"

Tony was quiet for a time as he thought over what Bruce had said and felt his heart twinge with sympathy for his daughter and what she was going through.

"Yeah, she knew him. A long time ago, she thought he was dead." Tony said looking back down at his work clearly not about to say anymore on the subject.


	6. Chapter 6

Vanessa charged down the hall in the direction of Loki's prison cell. She had to see him to see if he was as really horrible as everyone was saying. She soon came to where two guards stood front of a door.

"Can we help you Miss Stark?" One of the guards asked.

"I need to talk to him." Vanessa said.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but…" The guard started to say, but a voice behind her interrupted him.

"Let her in." Coulson said.

"But sir…" The guard started.

"That's an order." Coulson said a little sterner.

"Yes sir." They replied.

"Thank you Coulson." Vanessa said as the doors slid open.

"Just be careful." He said giving her meaningful look.

Thor's words rang in her ears, but she did her best to tune them out as she nodded and walked into the room. He was standing in the middle of the large container with his back to her the only sound in the room were the doors closing behind her then nothing.

"Loki…" Vanessa breathed out walking up to the glass.

"I was wondering when you'd come." Loki said as he turned around a small smile playing along his lips as he to walked up to the glass. The first thing that shocked her was his eyes which were a cold shade of light blue instead of their normal warm green. "I must say that I was surprised to see you here at all."

"I thought I had lost you." Vanessa said in a hoarse voice. "What happened to you?"

"You mean after you abandoned me?" He asked with a humorless laugh.

"Abandoned you?!" Vanessa snapped her eyes flashing. "I did everything in my power to find you after Thor showed me what had happened to you. I went to different telepaths all over the world, I tried to force dream telepathy, but nothing worked. I was lost without you!" She ended up screaming in toward the end, but he didn't respond looking away from her sullenly as her voice suddenly became strained. "Why are you doing this?"

"I thought it was obvious, I mean to rule this world." Loki answered a wild look in his eyes and a smirk on his face. "Humans were made to be ruled."

"My family, our friends were made to be ruled? I was made to be ruled?" Vanessa asked looking into his eyes tears streaming down her face. Loki actually looked taken aback, obviously forgetting his earlier accusation. Something was seriously off with him, he was so scattered.

"No, of course not Little Dove." He said shaking his head then a smile lit up his features. "You will rule beside me as my Queen. Together we will remake this world." Vanessa looked at him stunned that he would even think she would accept such a thing. She put her hands over her face shaking her head as they moved through her hair. She turned without another word and started too walked out. "Vanessa!"

Vanessa stopped trying not to give into the desperation in his voice before she calmly turned back around to face him her eyes swimming with tears.

"'...I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.'" Vanessa said. It was a quote from Jefferson that the Professor had taught them. "I love you Loki and I always will, but I cannot accept the price and I will defend this world, even if it cost me my heart."

Vanessa turned and left without another backwards glance. If she had she would have seen Loki's distraught face as tears gathered in his eyes that slowly changed into a cold look of determination.

"There is more than one way to have your heart." Loki snarled then seemed to be surprised at his own words. He fisted his hands in his hair on either side of his head, knowing her could never do that to her. Luckily another entered the room distracting him from his troubled thoughts. "There's not many people that can sneak up on me."

Vanessa walked down the hall as fast as she could not even noticing when she passed Natasha until she found a deserted spot then crumpled to the ground. She brought her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around them as she cried.

"Vanessa?" A voice said with concern. Looking up she saw Steve standing over her holding some wrecked weapon. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Vanessa said as she wiped the tears from her eyes standing to her feet.

"You don't look fine." Steve said, concerned, knowing a broken heart when he saw one.

"What's that?" Vanessa said blatantly ignoring his concern.

"A Hydra weapon." He said with a glare deciding to let it go for now.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is making weapons." Vanessa snapped her eyes wide. "We have to get to my dad. That bug of his probably picked something up."

"You knew about the bug?" Steve asked as he followed her.

"He's my dad so yeah it was pretty obvious to me that he would try to hack S.H.I.E.L.D. somehow." Vanessa said as they came up to the lab where an argument had already broken out.


	7. Chapter 7

"What are you doing, Mr. Stark?" Fury asked walking into the lab.

"Uh, kinda been wondering the same thing about you." Stark replied.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract." Fury said his anger apparent.

"We have the models locked and we're sweeping for the signature now." Bruce said gesturing to the staff that now had a glowing shifting map hovering over it. "When we get a hit we'll have the location within a half mile."

"Yeah then you get your cube back. No muss, no fuss." Stark said distractedly. "What is phase two?"

"Phase two is S.H.I.E.L.D. uses the cube to make weapons." Steve said as he dropped the hydra weapon onto a nearby table. "Sorry computer was moving a little slow for me."

"That's what this is all about; forget saving the world, you just want your weapons power source back." Vanessa said with a glare.

"We gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're making…" Fury started but was cut off by Stark.

"I'm sorry Nick what were you lying." Stark said as he pulled a monitor around showing the schematics for a bomb.

"A missile with enough power to take out a country and then some." Vanessa said crossing her arms. "My goodness your nose has grown so long Pinocchio."

"I was wrong director the world hasn't changed a bit." Steve said with a glare as Thor and Natasha walked in.

"Did you know about this?" Bruce asked Natasha.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment Doctor?" Natasha asked calmly.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed." Bruce seethed silently.

"Loki's manipulating you," Natasha said.

"And you've been doing what exactly?" Bruce asked Natasha.

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes," Natasha said.

"And I'm not leaving because suddenly you become a little twitchy." Bruce said and looked at the monitor, "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of Mass Destruction."

"Because of him," Fury said and pointed at Thor.

"Me?" Thor asked.

"Last year Earth had a visitor from another planet and had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly hilariously outgunned." Fury explained in a forced voice.

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet," Thor said.

"But you're not the only people out there are you? And you're not the only threat," Fury said, "The World's filling up with people that can't be matched."

"If you're referring to the mutant phenomenon then you need to back up real quick." Vanessa said with a dark glare.

"Not everyone has your good intentions. They can't be controlled." Fury said making Vanessa even angrier.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Cap asked.

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is a signal to all the other realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war." Thor said.

"You forced our hand, we had to come up with something-" Fury started.

"-A nuclear deterrent, because that's what always calms everything right down." Stark said interrupting Fury.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?" Steve asked.

"I'm sure if he didn't make weapons Stark would still be neck deep-" Steve continued.

"-Hold on, how is this now about me?" Stark asked cutting off Cap.

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve asked.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this," Thor said.

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Fury asked and then all heck broke loose.

"No, you keep the blowing up pretty much contained on earth." Vanessa snapped. "Hurray for you."

"You speak of control yet you cause chaos." Thor said.

"Says the guy that tried to blow up Jotunhiem." Vanessa growled.

"That's the M.O. isn't it? What are we a team? No, no, no, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're, we're a time bomb," Bruce said as tension grew.

"You need to step away," Fury said in a warning voice.

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Stark asked throwing his hands up in the air.

"You know damn well, why. Back off." Steve said getting angry.

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me." Stark said getting into Steve's face.

"Yeah, big man in a suit of armor, take that off, what are you?" Cap asked.

"Genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist," Stark said.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lie down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you," Cap said.

"I think I would just cut the wire," Stark smarted off.

"Always a way out," Cap said. "You know you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending you're a hero."

"A hero? Like you?" Stark asked, "You're a laboratory experiment Rodgers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds," Cap said.

"You want to control us why don't you just slap a number on us and send us into the camps already." Vanessa snapped at Fury.

"We are not starting another Holocaust." Fury ground out.

"You sure fooled me." Vanessa growled. "You've been watching us since the beginning. You sent Phil after us."

"We were only taking precautions…" Fury started to say.

"You were waiting for an opportunity and weaknesses." Vanessa countered. "How do we know you weren't working with Stryker all along?!"

"Hahahahaha, you people are so petty, and tiny." Thor said.

"You're one to talk! This is all your fault in the first place." Vanessa snapped at Thor. "You and your father drove Loki to this."

The fighting started to blend together as a strange humming filled the air. It kept escalating until it was a roar. Fury, Natasha, and Banner were arguing as Steve and Tony butted heads while Thor and Vanessa were yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.

"Agent Romanov, would you escort Dr. Banner to-" Fury started to say breaking through the fight.

"-Where? You rented out my room," Banner said.

"The cell was just-" Fury said.

"-In-case you needed to kill me, but you can't. I know, I tried," Banner said. Everything seemed to freeze and focus on Banner. "I got low, didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth, and the other guy spit it out," Bruce said. "So I moved on, I focused on helping other people, I was good. Until you dragged me back into this freak show, and put everyone here at risk. You wanna know my secret Agent Romanov? You wanna know how I stay calm?"

Everyone went silent and tensed as they watched the Doctor nervously. He didn't even seem aware of what was in his hand.

"Dr. Banner. Put down the scepter." Steve said. Banner hadn't even realized he was holding it until he looked down. There was a beep, and Banner put down the scepter, and walked over to the computer.

"Sorry kids, look like you don't get to see my party trick after all." Bruce said as he typed into the computer.

"You located the Tesseract." Thor said.

"Oh my God." Bruce said. Then there was an explosion, and they were flung back through a window, along with Natasha and Bruce to a sub level. Thor grabbed Vanessa and they were slammed into a wall, Thor taking the brunt of the damage.

Slowly Vanessa came back to her senses and the ringing in her ears lessened. She could her chaos and panic all over the ship.

"Vanessa, you ok?" Tony asked urgently as he ran over to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Vanessa said standing up straight followed by Thor.

"Somebody's got to get outside to patch that engine." Someone yelled.

"Stark, you copy that?" Fury asked.

"Got it," Stark said giving Vanessa one more concerned look before he ran off to fix the engine.

"Vanessa, Thor, go guard Loki." Fury ordered.

"On it." Vanessa said and ran down the hall without another word followed by Thor. Up ahead she spotted two enemy soldiers and formed her psionic knife in her right hand and her shield on her left. "Thor, keep going, I got this." Thor Nodded and ran ahead. "Here I go."

With a scream she charged them deflecting the bullets with her shield and after a brief fight burying her knife into them. She noticed that right before they fell to the ground their eyes lost the eerie blue color. Looking closely at their faces she recognized them as the two men she had knocked out at the donut shop during her dads near death crisis.

She shoved them both into a nearby room locking it behind her then ran the rest of the way to the detention center informing Fury to their whereabouts through her comm.


	8. Chapter 8

Thor ran into the detention section where he finds Loki, escaping.

"NO!" Thor charges at his brother. Loki walks up to him and crouches down to attack. Thor only goes through him. The false Loki dissipates into nothingness. The real Loki comes out from behind the cell door, which closes on Thor, locking him up. Loki smiles.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki asked condescendingly.

Thor, in a fit of anger, slams Mjolnir onto the glass cell. To his surprise, the cell door only cracks, but violently shakes the ship. Loki stands there in caution, as does his guarding soldier.

"The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?" Loki smiles; walks over to the control panel. Suddenly, guarding soldier falls down like a tree. Agent Coulson stands there, holding a phase 2 weapon prototype.

"Move away, please." Phil ordered Loki moves away from the switch. 'You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent The Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?"

Suddenly a loud gasp tears itself from Coulson's throat as he is impaled from behind, the real Loki standing behind him.

"Nooo!" Thor yelled as Loki sends Agent Coulson against the wall.

Agent Coulson slumps down, breathing fast. Loki makes his way to the control switch. He gives his brother one last look. Thor looks at him, hopeful. Loki opens the hatch. Thor still hopes. Loki hits the button and drops Thor out

Loki has no remorse as he looks down. He closes the hatch and proceeds to leave.

"You're gonna lose." Coulson said in a weak voice.

"Am I?" Loki said turning around.

"It's in your nature." Phil said.

"Your heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky...where is my disadvantage?" Loki asked.

"You lack conviction." Coulson said as Loki stalked over to him.

"I don't think I..." Loki was cut off by a powerful blast causing Loki to be blown through the wall behind him.

"So that's what it does." Phil mused just as Vanessa ran in.

"Phil!" Vanessa gasped as she ran to his side kneeling down. "I need medical to Loki's detention center now."

"On their way." Someone replied through her comm.

"Oh my…what…what happened?" Vanessa as she took off her draped vest trying to use it to staunch the blood flow.

"I'm…I'm…so…so sorry Vanessa." He gasped out.

"What…" Vanessa was about to ask, but Loki stumbling through the hole in the wall answered her unasked question, his bloody scepter held aloft in his hand, his own eyes widened at the sight of her. "Loki?"

"Vanessa I…" He started, but one of Loki's guards ran in and instantly trained his gun on Vanessa. "NO! Don't harm her."

"Sir?" The guard said in confusion.

"We're leaving now!" Loki ordered. The man shot one more uncertain look at Vanessa before nodding and leaving. Loki walked over to her. "Vanessa…"

"Stay away!" Vanessa snapped still holding the cloth to Coulson's wound. "I was wrong, you are a monster."

Loki looked physically hurt by her words as he gave her one last longing look before he left. She would have attacked him physically were it not for Coulson. She felt the tears as they streamed down her face.

"Vanessa…don't…don't give up on him." Coulson choked out surprising Vanessa.

"Phil…" Vanessa started to say, but Fury ran in finding Agent Coulson still alive, barely in Vanessa's arms doing her best to stop the blood flow. He kneeled down in front of them.

"Sorry, boss." Coulson said, losing strength fast. "They got rabbited."

"Just stay awake. EYES ON ME!" Fury ordered.

"No. I'm clocked out here." Phil said weakly shaking his head.

"Not an option." Fury replied sternly.

"It's okay, boss. This was never going to work... if they didn't have something... to..." Agent Coulson looks away then sighs his last breath. Nick Fury looked on grimly at Coulson as Vanessa just stared down at her blood covered hands tears still flooding her face when the medical team arrives.

"Agent Coulson is down." Fury said into his comm.

"Paramedics are on their way." Someone else over the comm. said.

"They're here. They called it." Fury said looking over to Vanessa.

"I'm sorry." Vanessa said in a strained voice. Fury reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but Vanessa shot to her feet and ran out of the room as fast as she could.


	9. Chapter 9

Steve and Stark sat around the table in the briefing room. No one said anything, what was there to say. Banner and Thor were M.I.A., they got Clint back, but he was still trying to flush out Loki, the ship was crippled, Loki had escaped, Vanessa refused to come out of one of the rooms on the carrier, and Coulson was dead.

Fury appeared shortly after with a solemn look on his face as he stood at the other end of the table. There was a hint of sadness in his eye too when he threw Coulson's Captain America trading cards on the table at Steve. He picked one up that had blood on the corner and running down the card.

"We're dead in the air up here, our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you, lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming." Fury paused before continuing. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called The Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes." Tony stood up abruptly and walked out of the room not saying a word. "Well, it's an old fashioned notion." Fury said despondently.

-0-

Tony looked at the empty cell container. He stands not saying a word as Steve walks in.

"Was he married?" Steve asked.

"No. There was a…uh...cellist, I think." Tony said.

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man." Steve said,

"He was an idiot." Tony said.

"Why? For believing?" Steve asked feeling defensive.

"For taking on Loki alone." Tony said.

"He was doing his job." Steve said.

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have..." Tony said.

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony." Steve said as Tony stars to walk away.

"Right. How did that work for him?" Tony bit out.

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked causing Tony to turn around sharply.

"WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS! I am not marching to Fury's fife!" Tony bit out.

"Neither am I! He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list..." Steve started to say, but Tony who was looking at the blood stained wall interrupted him.

"He made it personal." Tony said.

"That's not the point." Steve said.

"That is the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?" Tony started to question.

"To tear us apart." Steve guessed.

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience." Tony listed off his mind going a mile a minute.

"Right, I caught his act at Stuttengard." Steve said.

"Yeah. That's just a preview, this is opening night. Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered..." Tony paused as the proverbial light bulb lit up over his head. "Sonofabitch!"


	10. Chapter 10

Tony walked down the halls until he came to the room Vanessa was in. He had JARVIS open the locked door and walked into find her curled up in a ball on the bed. He had never seen her look so lost and depressed since she had thought Loki had died. Tony walked over setting next to her not saying a word as he pulled her up into his arms.

Her hands were red from where she had practically scrubbed them raw trying to get the blood off. She had been like this when she lost Jean both times, Scott, and Xavier, but now she was dealing with loss and heart break.

"Sorry I don't have any ice cream." He said with a slight smile tightening his hold on her.

"This is all my fault." Vanessa said.

"Vanessa…" Tony started.

"Don't dad, it is." Vanessa said cutting him off.

"This is not your fault it's Loki's." Tony said sternly.

"No, I should have known better or ran faster…" Vanessa said running her hands through her hair. "He wasn't always like this, he used to be fun and happy and…not this. He's changed so much."

"Vanessa…do you still love him?" Tony asked carefully.

"Yes." Vanessa said sadly. "And because of that Phil is dead."

"Vanessa, that was not your fault, you had no control over this." Tony said, but Vanessa looked less than convinced. Tony took a deep breath remembering his talk with Steve. "Phil died doing what he thought was right and that is not your fault."

"You know what the worst part is?" Vanessa asked then continued without waiting for an answer. "I still have hope that there is a reason that he's doing all of this that will absolve him."

"Vanessa…" Tony started.

"I know I shouldn't." Vanessa said.

"No, I think you should, keep hoping." Tony said as she looked up at him in confusion.

"What?" Vanessa asked, Phil's words ringing in her ears.

"Keep hoping, I mean you love him and I don't think you should give up on that." Tony said tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I remember Loki and he was nothing like this and from what I understand from both you and Thor something major must have happened to him to get him the way he is now, maybe you can turn it around."

"How would I even get the chance?" Vanessa asked, "We have no idea where he is."

"Actually we do. He's at Stark Tower." Tony said.

"A beacon of hope for mankind." Vanessa breathed out in realization.

"That's the one, we're going there now." Tony said. "You in?"

"Let me suit up and I'll meet you at the jet." Vanessa said standing up, her face determined. "I'll contact the X-men, Blaze, Murdock, the Fantastic Four and Reed can get a hold of Spider-man, give them the heads up."

"How do you know all these people?" Tony asked.

"Chance and school." Vanessa replied. "They'll be more than willing to help."

"That's my girl." Tony said ruffling the top of her head as he left.

After she made the calls he grabbed her duffle and pulled out a simple costume that consisted of a high necked one piece sleeveless black cat suit with silver piping. She had made it for herself after graduating from school. She also had a black belt was around her waist with a silver buckle engraved with a dove, and knee high black lace up boots on her feet. She tied her hair up into a high ponytail and added her earpiece.

She was pulling on her wrist length black fingerless gloves except for the ring finger and index finger on each hand with silver piping when her engagement ring caught her eye. She gently ran a finger over it remembering better times before pulling her gloves on hiding the ring from view. She also slipped on her necklace hiding it under her suit. The only piece of jewelry she couldn't take was her bracelet. She starred down at the many charms before she slipped it into her duffle. She needed to remember what she was fighting for as well as who.

She walked down to the hanger and was soon joined by Steve, Natasha, and Clint. They walked into the nearest Q-Jet that had a few men in it. A younger pilot turned around upon hearing them enter the plane.

"You guys aren't authorized to be in here." He said.

"Son, just don't." Steve said holding up his hand. The young pilot got up and exited the jet as Barton and Natasha sat in the unoccupied pilot seats. They flew as fast as they could to Manhattan with Stark in the lead.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sir, I've turned off the arc reactor, but the device is already self-sustaining." Jarvis said.

"Shut it down, Dr. Selvig." Tony ordered.

"It's too late. She can't stop now. She wants to show us something, a new universe." Selvig said with excitement.

"Okay." Tony said then fired at the tesseract only for it to bounce off of a shield and hit him and Selvig

"The barrier is pure energy. It's unbreachable." Jarvis said.

"Yeah, I got that." Tony said as he looked down and saw Loki standing on his balcony. "Plan B."

"Sir the mock seven is not ready for deployment." Jarvis warned.

"Then skip the spinning rims. We're on the clock." Stark said as he landed and walked into the building as Jarvis removed his battered Iron man suit.

"I hope you appeal to my humanity." Loki said.

"Actually, I'm planning to threaten you," Stark said.

"Well you should've kept your armor on for that," Loki said.

"Yeah, It's seen a little bit of mileage, and you've got the little glow stick of destiny," Stark said walking down the steps. "Would you like a drink?"

"Stalling me won't change anything," Loki said.

"No, no, no, threatening. No drink, you sure? I'm having one." Stark said grabbing a glass and bottle.

"The Chitauri are coming. Nothing can change that." Loki said looking out the window, "What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers," Stark said simply. Loki looked confused. "That's what we call ourselves. It's sort of like a team. Earth's mightiest heroes type thing."

"Yes, I've met them," Loki said, and Tony poured into a glass.

"Yeah, takes us a while to give us any traction I'll give you that one. But let's do a headcount here. Your brother, the demi God, the super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend, a man with breath taking anger management issues, a couple of master assassins and let's not forget my daughter whose heart you broke…no shattered, and believe me you will be paying for that one." Stark said sharply causing Loki to flinch slightly before Tony recovered his casual attitude. "And you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan," Loki said. Tony continued on as he put on his bracelets while Loki wasn't looking.

"Not a great plan," Stark said drinking, "When they come, and they will; they'll come for you."

"I have an army," Loki said.

"We have a Hulk," Stark said.

"Oh I thought the beast had wondered off," Loki said.

"You're missing the point. There's no throne. There's no version of this that you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." Stark said.

"How will your friends have time for me, when they're too busy fighting you?" He asked, and put his little stick down on Starks chest, but the arc reactor stopped it. He tried it again confused. "This usually works."

"Well performance issues, not uncommon, 1 out of 5-" Stark was cut off by Loki grabbing him and tossing him. "Jarvis, anytime now."

"You will all fall before me." Loki growled as he picked Stark up again.

"Deploy!" Stark said. Then he tossed Stark out the window. "DEPLOY!"

The suit whizzed by Loki knocking him down as it followed Stark, it scanned his arm, and it hooked on to him just missing the sidewalk and he shot back up.

"And there's one other person you pissed off. His name was Phil." Stark then shot him before he could get him with his glow stick of destiny, and then the bridge opened and aliens poured out.

"Right, Army," Stark said and shot a couple of them down.


	12. Chapter 12

"Stark, we're heading north east." Natasha said.

"What, did you stop for drive-thru?" Stark snapped. "Swing that park, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you."

Natasha fires the machine gun at the Chitauri taking them out as more crash while trying to follow Tony. Clint looks out to his left window, finding a target.

"See them." Natasha said.

"Yeah." Clint said.

He banks the jet towards Stark Tower, aims the mini gun at Loki as Loki aims the scepter at them and fires a blast of energy. Thor gets to his feet, tackling Loki down hard. The Jet is soon caught on fire. Clint maneuvers one wing of the jet dropping out of the air passing over skyscrapers.

"Everyone hold on." Vanessa said as she started to concentrate while a blue light engulfs the jet. The jet is still falling, but much slower until she is able to mentally land it on the street. The impact is still rough, but far less than what it would have been.

With everyone okay, Clint and Natasha unfasten their seatbelts and open the ramp. Steve runs down, followed by Clint, Natasha, and Vanessa. Each one has their respected weapons in hand.

They arrived in the middle of a four-way street. Suddenly, the city lurches to a stop. With a deep primal roar, a shadow comes over them. From the portal, a Chitauri leviathan comes out carrying hundreds of soldiers. As it passes over from both sides, soldiers jump off and attach themselves to the sides of the buildings, sliding down. Some crash into these buildings and begin firing from their energy rifles at innocent people.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Tony asked.

"Banner?" Steve questioned confused.

"Just keep me posted." Tony said. "Vanessa, how about your friends?"

"The X-Men and Ghost Rider have got a containment unit around the city. The Fantastic Four, Dare Devil, and Spider Man are out there getting people out of the city as fast as they can, but it's up to the Avengers to stop that machine." Vanessa replied.

"Good." Tony said before cutting communication.

The group ran through the streets fighting off the Chitauri. Natasha fired on the strange creatures as Steve hit them with his shield. Vanessa deflected the blasts with her shield as she used her psionic knife to cut through the enemy. They ducked behind a taxi as more Chitauri landed near them. Steve turned to them.

"We got civilians trapped up here." Clint said just as some flyers buzzed by overhead.

"Loki." Vanessa breathed out as he watched him go by.

"They're fish in a barrel down there." Steve said as he surveyed the scene before him. More firing went off making everyone spring into action.

"We got this. It's good. Go." Nat said gesturing to the crowds.

"You think you can hold them off?" Steve asked, still unsure.

"Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure." Clint said while he and Natasha started shooting at them along with Vanessa who started to tear them apart telekinetically. She used her shield and blocked some of the aliens off while Nat and Clint got people off of a bus.

"Just like Budapest all over again." Natasha said to Clint.

"You and I remember Budapest very differently." Clint said.

"Guys, we've got major incoming." Vanessa said as they battled massive amounts of Chitauri. Reaching her hands out she started to lift cars and throw them at the enemy crushing them just as Steve came back and started to help them. Thor arrived shortly after and landed next to Natasha and Clint.

"The powers surrounding the cube are impenetrable." Thor said looking up. Everyone looked to the portal as they head Tony's voice.

"Thor is right; we gotta deal with these guys." Stark said.

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked.

"As a team." He said.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor responded.

"Yeah well get in line." Clint said.

"Both of you are just going to have to wait behind me." Vanessa snapped wanting to make it clear that Loki was to be left to her. This incited a three way glaring contest.

"Save it. Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us..." Steve said then the sound of a motor approaching their position cut him off. The sound got louder as a motorbike came into view with Bruce driving it.

"So this all seems horrible." Bruce said as he walked up to them.

"Doesn't it though." Vanessa said as she formed a shield so they could have a moment of respite.

"I've seen worse." Natasha said eyeing Bruce apprehensively.

"I'm sorry." Bruce said sheepishly.

"No we could use a little worse right about now." Natasha replied.

"Stark, Bruce is here just like you said." Steve said into the com link.

"Good, tell him to suit up." Stark said. "I'm bringing the party to you."

"I don't' see how that's a party." Natasha said as a leviathan came flying around the corner following Stark.

"Dad, this is by far the worst party you have ever thrown." Vanessa deadpanned.

"Dr. Banner now might be a good time for you to get angry." Steve said as everyone tensed ready for the fight.

"That's my secret Captain. I'm always angry." Bruce turned around and smirked. He nodded to Vanessa who took that as her queue to lower her shield

They all watched wide eyed as Bruce transformed in to the Hulk and took down the monster with a single punch. Stark flew up and blew the rest of it away before it had a chance to fall on them. The aliens screamed angrily. Tony landed beside them as everyone looked up at the angry invaders. That's when the rest came through the portal.

"Never rains, but it pours." Vanessa grumbled.

"Guys." Natasha said.

"Call it, Captain." Tony said.

"Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we're gonna help with containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash." Steve commanded.

"Better clench up there Legolas." Stark said as he grabbed Clint and they flew off. Tony lifted Clint onto his designated roof top before flying around the city's perimeter.

"Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You've got the lightning, light them up. Natasha and Vanessa are with me, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here. And Hulk," Steve said with a smirk as the Hulk turned toward him. "smash!"

With one last smile Hulk leaped up into the air and started to tear through alien like they were tissue paper, Thor blasted lightning from the Empire State Building at the portal slowing down the incoming, while Steve, Vanessa, and Natasha were fighting off Chitauri left and right.

"Crap." Vanessa said dodging to the side. The Chitauri soldier swung his weapon at her as she dodged. She rolled behind the Chitauri and stabbed him in the back with her psionic blade only for another to grab her and throw her into a bench nearby.

Vanessa rolled out of the way and to her feet just as the same Chitauri went to strike her again. It jumped at her its weapon raised high for the strike. The alien rushed her jumping into the air. She raised her hand stopping him midair then closed her hand into a fist crushing its skull and dropped it back to the ground. Forming her blades on each hand she really started to go at them cutting down any who came near her sending her body count sky rocketing.

"Captain, none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal." Natasha told Steve as they kept fighting.

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." Steve replied.

"Well, maybe it's not about guns." Natasha said looking up.

"You wanna get up there, you're gonna need a ride." Steve said as he took in the dried blood on her head.

"I could give you a ride." Vanessa offered.

"I got a ride. I could use a boost though." She said looking up at the Chitauri flying overhead.

"You sure about this?" Steve asked following her gaze.

"Yeah, it's going to be fun." Nat replied with a nod though she did not seem so confident.

"Be careful." Vanessa said. Natasha gave her a brief smile before she ran at Steve who gave her a boost with his shield as Vanessa held the Chitauri back. Steve joined the fight sending another Chitauri flying.

Suddenly a new wave of Chitauri surged at them from seemingly all directions. Vanessa glanced around before she spotted an oil tanker, a wicked smile lit up her features. Just as the wave passed over them she lifted it up in the air, pulled one of the alien weapons over to her, and shot it causing it to explode taking the entire wave out.

"Nice shot." Steve commented as she shielded them from the debris. Vanessa nodded before looking to the tower again.

"I'm going after Loki now. Someone needs to confront him." Vanessa said as she started to take off.

"Captain, the bank on 42nd past Madison. They cornered a lot of civilians in there." Barton said. Steve looked up at Vanessa who looked from the tower then back at Steve and nodded.

"We're on it." Steve said as they ran down the street. Steve and Vanessa jumped in through a window into the bank.

"Captain, bomb." Vanessa said pointing to the alien. Steve threw his shield hitting the alien and knocking the bomb out of its hand.

"Dove, get down." He said as they jumped behind a desk as they opened fire on them. He kicked the desk taking out two of them as the other scrambled for the bomb. Vanessa leaped over the desk stabbing another in the gut then kicked it over the railing.

"Every one, clear out." Steve ordered as he was grabbed from behind. The alien ripped his mask off as another got ready to fire on him only for Steve to flip over so he hit the other alien instead.

"It's about to go off." Vanessa said as the bomb tempo increased. The alien that fired tried to grab the bomb and throw it at them, but it was too late. Steve rolled grabbed his shield, as Vanessa put up her own shield and they jumped out of the window as it went off. They landed on top of a car crushing it and laid there for a few seconds gathering themselves.

"You ok?" Steve asked as they pushed themselves off the car.

"Physically yes mentally I'm about ready collapse." Vanessa said as she looked around wearily. "We need to get to the tower."

"Then let's go." Steve said pushing himself from the car then took off down the street ready for the next wave as Vanessa followed.


	13. Chapter 13

The Chitauri kept coming wave after wave and they were running on fumes. Vanessa saw Steve take a hit only to be helped up by Thor. She felt the presence of one of the aliens in front of her. Vanessa threw her shield up to stop the creature when he was hit with Thor's hammer. Steve and Thor appeared next to her in their fighting stances.

"Are you ready for another bout?" Thor asked glancing at them out of the corner of his eye.

"What, are you getting sleepy?" Steve asked breathing hard as Thor called his hammer back to him.

"We need to end this." Vanessa said looking up at the portal as more aliens were pouring through it. "I've got an idea."

Taking a deep breath she shot off into the air dodging enemy fire as she went ignoring the calls of her teammates and summoned all of her strength into a powerful shield. A white blue aura covered her in the form of a great dove as she floated under the portal her hands outstretched before her.

They fired everything they had at her shield and she could feel her strength ebbing, but she refused to let go. The blinding light of the dove flashed out in a surge of mental energy hit her like never before.

She had to protect this world, its people, and her family, both blood and extended. She refused to let this world fall.

Vanessa closed her eyes and concentrated, her hair rose in the air around her having fallen out of its ponytail long ago and then her eyes snapped open revealing that they had gone completely white blue and glowed with new power.

One of the ships managed to break through, but pulling back her arm she punched it back, shattering it on impact with her new psionic strength taking even more out as they came. She reached out a crushed another ship and then ripped apart one of the leviathans while maintaining her shield, but a lucky shot sent her hurtling to the ground.

She formed a shield cocoon around herself and crashed into the grounds scattering debris everywhere. She slowly pulled herself out of the impressive crater she had made as Steve and Thor ran over to her helping her the rest of the way out.

"Are you ok?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Vanessa said cracking her back breathing hard, her shield having absorbed the impact for the most part.

"I do not understand how you were able to survive that." Thor said looking up to where she had fallen from.

"Easy, I've gained some new power." Vanessa said looking up at the portal where more were coming through now that her shield was gone. "It's an ability some mutants have to evolve or adapt as necessary, and I did."

She started to lift herself in the air, but fell back to the ground exhausted.

"Vanessa?" Steve said with concern.

"I'm ok, just a little drained." Vanessa said struggling up again with Thor's help. "I have to end this."

"You have not the strength." Thor said.

"Well someone has to stop this madness." Vanessa said leaning heavily on Thor.

"I can shut it down, I've got the staff." Natasha said causing everything to freeze.

"Then do it." Steve ordered quickly eager to get it over with.

"No wait." Stark said suddenly.

"Stark, these things are still coming." Steve said urgently.

"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I just where to put it." Stark said in an eerily calm voice

"Dad?" Vanessa asked slightly panicked as they watched Tony fly toward the portal directing said nuke.

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip." Steve said calmly. Tony ignored Steve and kept flying toward the portal.

"Dad don't, you don't have to do that, or maybe we can disarm it or…" Vanessa said desperately nearly screaming as she struggled to escape Thor's grasp in her weakened state. "I'm stronger now I can do something you don't have to…"

"I'm sorry Vanessa, I love you so much and I'm so proud of you." Tony said. They starred up into the portal until the sight of a bright explosion went off in the portal.

"Please." Vanessa said in a strained voice as Tony disappeared into the portal. Chitauri everywhere jerked then fell to the ground dead as the explosion went off. They waited for a few moments for any sign of Tony, but there was none.

"Close it." Steve said and the portal started to close. Vanessa let out a scream of anger, frustration, and sadness as debris swirled around her and cracks appeared in the ground, then it all stopped. She sobbed uncontrollably as Thor gently held her.

"Please no." Vanesa shook as she clung to Thor.

"Son of a gun!" Steve said looking up. Vanessa's head snapped up to see Stark free falling though the portal.

"Dad." Vanessa cheered in relief, but she got no answer. "Dad can you hear me?! Dad! Something's wrong."

"He's not slowing down." Thor said as he started to twirl his hammer ready to take off and Vanessa was ready to shoot of into the air as well. Just as Thor and Vanessa fly up, the Hulk snags Tony out of the air, both crashing and sliding down a building landing in his back protecting Tony from the impact.

Hulk throws Tony off him as Vanessa Thor and Cap run over to him. Thor rips off Tony's helmet as Vanessa and Steve kneel next to him, but the arc reactor is dark.

"No." Vanessa said as she tried to shake him awake as if he were asleep. "Please Dad, come on wake up."

"Vanessa, he's gone." Steve said as he tried to comfort her.

"No, please no." Vanessa sobbed her head bowed until it laid on arc reactor over Tony's heart. "Dad, please. Come back."

Suddenly the Hulk let out a loud yell startling everyone including Tony.

"What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?" Stark said.

"Dad." Vanessa said in relief as she hugged him close still crying.

"Hey Nessa its ok, hey, I'm fine ok." Tony said softly as she set back up. "So what happened?"

"We won." Steve said in relief.

"Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it." Tony said in an enthusiastic albeit tired voice.

"We're not done yet." Thor told them while gripping his hammer starring up at the tower.

"And then shawarma after." Tony said earning a chuckle from everyone.

"Thank you Hulk." Vanessa said looking up at the giant who nodded back at her with a grunt and a small smile. They all gashered together at the base of Stark Tower and entered.

After a rather quiet elevator ride they came upon Loki crawling out of his crater covered in cuts and bruises. He looked up at all of them who looked ready to beat him further into the ground and gave a weak smile.

"If it's all the same to you I think I'll have that drink now." He said with a pained smile that instantly slips away when he sees Vanessa's scowl. She turned on her heel and walked away without another look.


	14. Chapter 14

They all sat around a small table in the Shawarma restaurant that Tony had seen. Clint was sitting next to Natasha with his leg propped up on the edge of her chair, Bruce was next to him really chowing down since Hulking out really took it out of him, Vanessa was next to barely picking at her food, Tony was next to her leaning back in his chair sending her worried glances, while Thor was next to him eating up a storm that surpassed Bruce by a country mile, and then finally Steve who had his head propped up on his right fist picking at his food. No one said anything as the owners were sweeping up behind them.

Vanessa felt completely drained and it was getting hard to keep her eyes open, it got even worse when the room started to spin. Her body throbbed in pain as she pushed her chair back and stood to her feet while gritting her teeth.

"Vanessa, are you ok?" Tony asked standing up to.

"I don't…I…" By this time Vanessa had started to sweat profusely and a ringing was sounding in her ears. She held her hands to her head and fell to the ground on her knees screaming as he father knelt down next to her pulling her close.

"Vanessa?!" Tony called out, but she couldn't hear him. "Bruce, something's wrong."

Things in the room started to shake as the other Avengers gathered round, Bruce knelt down in front of the Stark's. He gently check Vanessa's pulse and looked into her eyes then everything went black.

-0-

"What's wrong with her?" Tony asked as he hovered around the bed Vanessa was in. She was hooked up to a monitor and her vitals were all stable. Her eyes which were wide open glowed white blue as they starred up at the ceiling.

They had taken her to some SHIELD safe house that Natasha and Clint had taken them to after she had passed out and Bruce was running some tests to see what had happened to her.

"I'm not sure, but it seems like she had some sort of seizure and slipped into a coma." Bruce said still looking over the information. Tony snatched the paper work from Bruce and looked it over.

"Her brain is functioning at a higher level than what's normal." Tony said flipping through the chart. "Does this have something to do with her powers?"

"It might, I'm not sure." Bruce said shaking his head. "I've never dealt with something like this before. I don't know what to do."

Tony starred down at Vanessa, then to the ring that was still on her left hand ring finger.

"I do." Tony said as he threw the paper work down and walked out of the room leaving Bruce with Vanessa.

-0-

Vanessa walked through the blue foggy terrain and knew instantly that it was not the same place where she and Loki often visited together. The terrain started to give way to a more structured room that she soon realized was the Xavier School library where she had spent many a rainy day when she grew bored in the garage.

"I remember the first time I found you in this room curled up asleep on the window seat a book on dreams clutched in your hands." Vanessa felt like someone had doused her in cold water when she turned around and saw Professor Xavier standing there behind her.

"Professor." Vanessa said with a smile as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug which he returned with a chuckle. She looked up at him in happiness and confusion. "Am I dreaming?"

"No, this is the Astral plane, a place where people with mind oriented abilities sometimes come to." Charles said as he led her over to a pair of leather chairs.

"So you're alive? How?" Vanessa asked as they sat down.

"The man Moira was taking care of, I transferred my consciousness to him before I died." Xavier explained. "I've been spending the last year and a half integrating myself. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, getting use to a new body."

"I'll bet." Vanessa murmured.

"I see you have been leading quiet an eventful life since last I saw you." Charles prompted.

"Yeah, I went Pokémon evolution twice now and my fiancé tried to take over the world." Vanessa said leaning back in her chair, her arms crossed as she starred out the window.

"I heard." Charles said with a nod. "Vanessa you have reached an awe inspiring new level in your mutation."

"You're about to tell me some life changing stuff right now, aren't you?" Vanessa said as she eyed him.

"What do you know about Omega Mutants?" Xavier asked.

"Really strong and usually…usually immortal." Vanessa said in shock sitting straight up in her seat. "Are you saying that…?"

"I am." Charles said solemnly.

"Well crap." Vanessa muttered.

"I'd also like to talk to you about Loki." Charles started.

"And I'd rather not, he's going to Asgard and I'll never have to see him again." Vanessa said stiffly. Xavier looked at her with that all knowing gaze he had that went right through her.

"You still love him." Charles said.

"I'm going to assume that you didn't read my mind and that I'm just an easy read on the outside." Vanessa said suspiciously. "But that doesn't fix what he's done."

"During some of Loki's visits to the school before he would come to you we would sometimes talk and he, in time, revealed some of himself to me. From what I understand he did not lead a completely happy life." Xavier said softly.

"No, he didn't." Vanessa said looking down. "There was obvious favoritism with his father and his brother Thor and then he found out he was a part of a race that was the enemy of Asgard and so much more."

"Then don't you think he deserves a second chance?" Charles asked as he steepled his fingers and gazed determinedly at her. Vanessa thought about Loki and everything about him that made her happy, mad, and sad all at the same time.

"Yes, he does and I'll give it to him." Vanessa said in determination. Then she started to feel like something was pulling on her. "I think it's time to go."

"I believe so as well." Charles said as they stood up and he pulled her into a hug. "Good luck."

"Thank you Professor." Vanessa said before she departed from the astral plane, but did not wake up.

She felt trapped in the perpetual darkness that now surrounded her scarring her. She struggled, but nothing happened. Right when she felt her worst a green light bloomed in front of her. She reached out feeling a familiar warmth spread through her as she touched it. Her eyes slowly opened and found herself starring into a pair of emerald green eyes.

-0-

Tony charged down the hallway to where they were holding Loki. Thor was guarding the door and regarded Tony cautiously as he approached.

"How fares Lady Vanessa?" Thor asked.

"We're not sure what's wrong with her." Tony said tensely. "I think Loki might be the only one who can help."

Thor nodded allowing him into the cell where Loki sat bound and chained on a bench.

"And what brings you here Stark?" Loki asked with a glare.

"Something's wrong with Vanessa." Tony said and instantly Loki was on his feet. Loki followed Tony down the hall with Thor bringing up the rear.

As soon as they entered the room Loki was beside Vanessa taking her hand in one of his as he placed the other on her forehead his thumb gently stroking her brow. He let out a growl of irritation and turned to Thor.

"Get these accursed things off of me. I can't do anything with them on." Loki snapped feeling scared. Thor looked from Loki to Vanessa and reluctantly stepped forward with the key.

"If you try anything with an ill intent brother, it will not end well for you." Thor warned.

"I know, just let me help her." Loki said desperately. Thor took the chains away and no sooner than they were off than he was back by her side his eyes closed in concentration. "She's trapped, her abilities manifested faster than her body could keep up."

"Can you save her?" Tony asked his hands clenched into fists.

"Yes." Loki said concentrating hard as he led her out of her own mind.

Slowly Vanessa blinked her silver eyes opened and starred up into Loki's relived emerald gaze. She reached up gently touching his cheek and he leaned into the touch.

"Loki." Vanessa said softy, but the moment was shattered at the arrival of SHIELD who pulled Loki away re-shackling him despite Vanessa's protests.


	15. Chapter 15

Vanessa recovered very quickly once Loki was able to speed up her body's acceptance of its new powers and was let out of the medical ward. The first thing she did after explaining her new found Omega powers was tell everyone including Fury that she was going to talk to Loki and if they tried to stop her bad things would happen plus it gave time for Tony to cope with her daughters new found immortality as well as the others.

Vanessa walked up to Loki's cell where he sat on a bench his feet and hands chained. He had on his tunic, pants, and shoes, his other garments having been taken to make sure he was not hiding anything in them. He was still covered in his wounds from the battle since no one wanted to come near him.

Taking a steadying breath she walked up to the door and placed her hand on the screen which turned from red to green. The door slid open and she walked in looking much more confident then she felt.

"I must admit that I didn't expect to see you anytime soon." Loki said not looking up from where he was starring.

"Well I'm just full of surprises." Vanessa said as she sat down on the bench next to Loki and put the first aid kit she had with her on her other side also on the bench.

"How are you feeling?" Loki asked.

"A lot better thanks to you. The events of the battle brought about a wave of transformation in me that you helped my body to accept." Vanessa said in a low voice. "I'm an omega level mutant now."

Loki felt like time had stopped as what she had just said sank in. When she had fist evolved during her battle with the Phoenix she had told him what the Professor had once told them about some mutants ability to gain power and adapt as they were faced with new problems, an omega being the highest level possible. There were less than a handful that had reached that ability and Loki also knew that along with this power came immortality.

"Have you told your father yet?" Loki asked still not looking at her.

"Yes, he and the other are absorbing this information as we speak." Vanessa said opening the first aid kit.

"Are you certain?" Loki asked.

"Without a doubt, the Professor told me." Vanessa said and went on to explain what had happened in the Astral plane.

She took out a wet cloth out of the kit then turned back to Loki. He shivered slightly as her hand gently touched his chin turning him toward her so she could clean the cuts along his face starting with the one over his right eye as he starred over her shoulder clearly not wanting to meet her gaze.

"Vanessa, what do you think of me now?" Loki asked, his face devoid of emotion, but Vanessa could see the faint glimmer of fear in his eyes. She moved onto the cut over his nose taking her time before she answered.

"I don't know any more Loki." She replied finishing up cleaning the wounds on his face and Loki felt his heart sink, but he was not surprised. Now that everything had settled down he really began to see what he had done. He tried to force back the guilt he felt for hurting her, but found that he could not. "But if you're asking if I still love you than yes I do."

He looked at her in surprise as she finished up with the rest of the wounds he had received and began to pack everything she had used back up. His wounds were mostly just cuts and bruises that would heal soon thanks to his heritage.

Vanessa stood to her feet and began to walk away until Loki's hand reached out and grabbed hers stopping her. All was silent as she stood with her back to him her hand firmly trapped in his grip. Loki caught sight of the glint on her hands and saw that she still wore her engagement ring.

"I'm sorry." Loki said hoarsely breaking the silence. Vanessa closed her eyes tightly as she bit her bottom lip knowing he was only sorry for hurting her if nothing else before turning back to him, looking into his green eyes, the Professor's words ringing in her ears.

"Loki, I need you to tell me the truth right now." Vanessa said seriously as she sat back down still holding his hand in hers. "Your eyes are green right now, but ever since I saw you here they've been blue like Barton's were when you controlled him, why?"

Loki's grip on her hands tightened almost painfully as his whole body tensed and shook.

"I…I…" He stuttered, a thing she had never heard him do. She could see the fear in his eyes as what must have been horrible images played through his memories. He shook his head slightly, refusing to make eye contact with her. She had an uncomfortable idea as to what caused his agitation.

"Loki, you're shaking what's wrong?" Vanessa asked gently rubbing the back of his hands with her thumbs. Water glistened in Loki's eyes as he breathed unevenly, his hands shaking hard. "What happened to you?"

"When I fell from the Bifrost… I thought I was going to die." Loki started out hoarsely. "But the Chitauri found me and when I refused to help them in their plans for the Tesseract they resorted to other means of persuasion."

"They tortured you." Vanessa said going pale as the blood rushed from her face and hugged him close as he buried his face into the crook of her neck. She gently ran her hand through his hair as she laid her cheek against the side of his head.

"They took away myself control my spirit my freedom. They tore it all out of me with that staff and the put it in my hand and sent me to earth for the Tesseract. They threatened me with the worst pain, a pain that would make me wish for death." Loki said brokenly clutching her tightly.

"What did they…?" Vanessa trailed off unable to finish her sentence.

"They said if I failed they would kill you in the worst possible ways and they'd force me to do it." He tightened his hold on her. "I didn't want you to…I needed to…I didn't want to…I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but I…I couldn't let you die." He said as he straightened up and Vanessa gently cupped the side of his face. Loki shivered at her touch, looking up at her with teary eyes. "I don't want you to hate me."

"Loki, I don't think I could ever hate you." Vanessa said as she tucked a piece of his hair behind his ear. He closed his eyes leaning into her touch. "I will always love you Loki, never doubt that."

"I love you as well Little Dove." He replied and was about to lean down and kiss her when the door banged open.

"I think that's enough first aid for one day Miss Stark." Fury said with a stern look. Loki started to pull back as Vanessa shot Fury a dirty look. She turned back to Loki and leaned for giving a quick, but meaningful kiss. "Miss Stark, now!"

"I'm coming, keep your eye patch on." Vanessa groused as she stood up and walked out past Fury. Fury glared at Loki as he closed the door back up making sure it was secure then turned around stalking after Vanessa.

"I want to talk to you Miss Stark." Fury said.

"Well I don't want to talk to you so shoo fly don't bother me." Vanessa said walking away only to have her arm grabbed painfully turning her around so she was facing him.

"I need to know you're on the right side because if you've been compromised…" Fury started as Vanessa glared sharply at him.

"You'll what? What will the all mighty Nick Fury do to me?" Vanessa asked in a deadly voice. "Capture me, brand me, what will you do Director?"

"What is necessary." He replied evenly.

"So will I." Vanessa said pulling herself from his grip and walking away. Coming to a decision she started to make preparations for her trip.

-0-

Vanessa hoisted her duffle over her shoulder and paid the taxi man. She straightened out her dark blue scoop necked shirt with a draped black vest over it, black skinny jeans that tucked into ankle boots and as always the necklace Loki had given her as well as her engagement ring and bracelet.

She knew her dad was not going to like what she was about to do, but it really wasn't up to him; Loki needed her just as much a she needed him, maybe more so. Throughout her childhood ever since she had developed her powers he had been there for her and now it was her turn to be there for him for above all else she loved him despite everything that had happened.

She had brought up what Loki had told her, but despite her dad and Bruce being on her side the general consensus was that he was lying to her. Not even Thor would believe her so she remained quiet and proceeded with the rest of her plan.

She made her way over to Natasha and Clint who climbed out of a SHIELD issued car. Steve was the next to show up on his motorcycle and parked before approaching the three assassins then Tony drove up with Banner in the passenger seat.

"What's with the duffle?" Tony asked.

"It's nothing." Vanessa said with a shrug as Thor led Loki to the railing. "Was the muzzle really necessary?"

"I wish it were not." Thor said shaking his head as Tony opened the briefcase holding the Tesseract. Bruce put it into a container and then handed it to Thor.

"I see you added some new charms to your bracelet." Natasha commented.

"Yep, one for each of you." Vanessa said holding out her wrist the bracelet heavy with charms.

For Natasha and elegant spider charm etched with a floral pattern, Clint's was of course a bow and arrow, a pair of glasses and a beaker for Bruce, Steve's shield, Thor's hammer, the SHIELD symbol for Fury (even though he was a pain in the butt whom she would never trust), and the American flag for Coulson. All of them had diamond chips strategically placed in them.

"It beautiful." Natasha said with a slight smile.

"Thanks." Vanessa replied as they all turned back to Thor and Loki.

"Come back and visit us sometime." Tony said to Thor.

"I would be honored." Thor said and nodded to all of them as he readied the Tesseract.

"Wait, I'm coming too." Vanessa said as she stepped forward. Loki could say nothing, but his eyes said enough. He didn't want her to go and see what was to happen to him.

"What?!" Tony said looking at his daughter in shock.

"I do not believe it to be wise for you to come." Thor said.

"Well if you can't do something wise do something right." Vanessa said as she walked over and took one of Loki's shackled hands in hers lacing their fingers together. She then looked to Thor who smiled and nodded. Looking back to Loki she could tell that he still didn't want her to go, but was at the same time happy that she would be there for him.

"Wait a minute, Vanessa…" Tony started to say.

"Dad, this is important, please understand that I need to go." Vanessa said clinging to Loki's hand. Tony's mouth opened and closed a few times before he let out an irritated groan and pointed to Thor threateningly.

"You better watch and out for her." He said.

"You have my word." Thor said then Tony rounded on Loki.

"And you better realize just how lucky you are." Tony said with a narrowed gaze. Loki looked him in the eye and nodded tightening his hold on Vanessa's hand. She gently let go and ran over to Tony's hugging him tight.

"Tell everyone I said bye and that I love them." Vanessa said softly as Tony hugged her back.

"I will." Tony said as he squeezed her close. "Pepper is ging to kill you and me for letting you go."

"I know." Vanessa replied.

"Be safe up there Nessa, I love you." Tony said seriously.

"I will and I love you to dad." Vanessa said as she hugged him tightly then turned to Steve. "Don't forget to go visit Logan, I already told them you were coming as soon as you could."

"I won't forget." Steve promised as she stepped back with a sad smile as she retook Loki's hand in hers.

"Bye everyone." Vanessa waved. "Watch my dad and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Hey." Tony whined when suddenly a blinding light hit them when Thor twisted the capsule and the three of them disappeared to Asgard.


	16. Chapter 16

Flashes of multi colored lights streaked past them; stars, planets, nebulas, and whole galaxies passed them by in a matter of moments. Vanessa had to hold onto Loki to keep balanced when they came to a stop.

"Wow, what a rush." Vanessa said as she shook off her dizziness. Loki gave her a concerned look, but she just smiled squeezing his hand in hers. "I'm fine."

Looking around at the amazing construct of the Bifrost Bridge newly reconstructed until her eyes fell on Heimdall.

"Greetings Vanessa Stark, welcome to Asgard." He said with a hint of a smile.

"Greeting to you as well Heimdall." Vanessa said with a respectful nod. The sound of clanking armor reached her ears and she watched as men in armor filed into the room.

They instantly made to grab Loki, but Vanessa stood between them.

"Move." One of the guards ordered, but she refused.

"Lady Vanessa, you must allow them to take him." Thor said, but Vanessa stayed where she was.

Loki gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked into his eyes over her shoulder and reluctantly moved out of the way allowing them to attach chain like leashes to him. Her hands were clutched in shaking fists as she watched them lead him down the Bifrost.

Thor and Vanessa followed them to a large throne room where Thor entered first with Vanessa and Loki behind them. Vanessa kept looking over her shoulder to Loki. She had wanted to stand next to him, but the guards would not allow it.

At the end of the hall in a large throne sat Odin and standing at the base of the stairs that led to the Throne was Frigga. Both were imposing beings in their own way emanating power throughout the room. She copied Thor's bow and then stood up straight.

"I have brought home the Tesseract and my brother Loki." Thor said in a commanding voice. Odin smiled as he stood descending from the stairs. He took the tesseract handing it to a guard to be locked away before turning back to Thor and clasping his shoulder.

"You have done well my son." Odin said as Frigga walked over embracing Thor, then his eyes felt to Vanessa. "But why is there a mortal in our midst."

"Oh, my name is Vanessa Stark and I'm not mortal…well at least not anymore." Vanessa said with a shrug.

"Is this true?" Odin asked Thor.

"Aye father it is." Thor replied with a nod.

"How is this possible?" Frigga asked.

"I'm a mutant." Vanessa said and explained what brought her to this point.

"Interesting." Odin said. "But that does not explain why you are here."

"I'm here to be with my fiancé Loki." Vanessa said stepping back and taking hold of Loki's hands in hers. That got a wave of shocked gasps and a dark cloud seemed to come over Odins face.

"Thor take Miss Stark, I wish to speak to Loki." Odin said.

"But…" Vanessa started, but Loki squeezed her hand and shook his head. They slowly released each other's hands, but not before Vanessa stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek right above the muzzle. "I love you."

Loki nodded conveying his love for her through his eyes. Thor took hold of her shoulder gently and pulled her out of the throne room. Loki tensed as they removed the muzzle and faced the Allfather.

-0-

"Come, I will show you the wonders of Asgard." Thor said brightly, but Vanessa couldn't help, but to feel nervous in the impressive kingdom. The dreams she shared with Loki as he showed her around did not do it justice.

"Sure, why not." Vanessa said as she followed him.

There was no doubt that Asgard was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. It seemed to shine its own light. It didn't come as a surprise to Vanessa when they ended up at the training grounds of Asgard. She watched as various warriors sparred with each other their weapons flashing with skill and speed.

"Thor." A large red headed and read bearded man bellowed as he came up to them clapping Thor on the shoulder. They were joined by two other men, one with blonde hair and a goatee and an oriental looking man. There was also a fierce looking woman amongst them. "It is good to have you back, we have heard tell of your triumph on Midgard over Loki."

"Always knew he'd come to a bad end." The woman said.

"Sif." Thor said in a warning tone glancing at Vanessa who went tense, her lips forming a thin line. "These are my friends the warriors three Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral and the Lady Sif."

"Nice to meet you all." Vanessa said with a tight smile.

"And what would your name be lovely one." Fandral asked taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

"I am Vanessa Stark." Vanessa answered formally.

"And what brings such a fair maiden to Asgard?" He asked still holding her hand and stroking it with the other.

"My fiancé." Vanessa said showing him her left hand causing him to drop her right with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, so who is the lucky devil?" Fandral asked jauntily as Vanessa looked Sif right in the eyes.

"Loki." Vanessa said daring the girl to comment negatively. The re-action was instant; everyone's faces a mask of shock except for Thor who already knew and Hogun who just seemed to be in control of his facial muscles to well to let any emotion show.

"You would marry the man that tried to destroy your home?!" Sif said in shock.

"I would marry the man I love and thank you not to judge him so harshly when you don't know all of the facts." Vanessa ground out starting to take a dislike to this woman.

"I do know all of the facts, and I do know yours is not the first world he's tried to get rid of." Sif snapped as the two girls came closer and closer glaring daggers at each other.

"I smell a fight." Fandral said in a loud whisper as Thor tried to calm them down to no avail.

"She would not last a moment against me." Sif scoffed. Vanessa raised her hand and a spear flew over to her surprising all those around them.

"Try me." Vanessa hissed.

"You have magic, I did not know Midgardians had such abilities." Volstagg said.

"Comes with being a mutant." Vanessa said as she twirled spear around expertly. "But if Sif doesn't think she can hold up against my powers then…"

"Only a coward would hide behind such abilities." Sif snarled.

"Only a fool would not use all their skill in battle, but to appease you I will stick to hand to hand combat." Vanessa said getting into a fighting stance.

Sif unfurled her own weapon and they began to circle waiting for an opening. Suddenly Sif lunged, but Vanessa ducked and thrust her elbow into Sif's un-protected stomach causing her to stumble. Sif maintained her balance and brought the flat of her weapon across Vanessa's back who counted with the butt of her staff into Sif's shoulder.

Blows started to rapidly fly some landing some missing all performed with great skill until they came to a stalemate. Sif had her blade pointed at Vanessa's neck, but Vanessa had hers at Sif's heart. They were breathing hard, neither one moving as they starred each other down. Everyone starred holding their breaths until finally they withdrew their weapons at the same time.

"You fight honorably." Sif said with a small bow.

"You as well." Vanessa said bowing slightly as well as a guard came up and talked with Thor.

"Lady Stark, my father is calling us back to the throne room." Thor said.

"It was nice meeting you all." Vanessa said with a bow which they all returned before she left following Thor back to the throne room.

-0-

Vanessa once again followed Thor's example of bowing before straitening up to face Odin. She glanced around the room, but so no sign of Loki or Frigga.

"I wish to give my thanks to you Lady Stark and your Midgardian heroes the Avengers for the return of the Tesseract and Loki, but now it is time for you to return home." Odin said.

"What?!" Vanessa snapped.

"You cannot remain here, your place is on Midgard." Odin said.

"But Loki…" Vanessa started to say, but Odin cut her off.

"Is no longer your concern. He has been sentenced to eternal imprisonment." Odin said sternly.

"But it wasn't his fault, he had no control over his action on Earth. He was being controlled by the Chitauri and their leader." Vanessa said desperately.

"You have no proof of that and even if you did he still tried to destroy Jotunheim and take over Asgard." Odin said evenly.

"Because he was distraught over learning that he was a Frost Giant." Vanessa said her voice rising with her anger. "You lied to him, raised him up telling him how awful frost giants were only for him to find out he is one, and you treated him like nothing more than a relic from another realm when all he wanted was to make you proud. If anyone is to blame it is you Odin."

"You will not speak to me like this." Odin bellowed.

"And I will not be parted from him." Vanessa yelled back. They glared at each other neither backing down.

"I have said all I will say on the matter. You are leaving Asgard if I have to throw you into the Brifrost myself." Odin snarled. Vanessa opened her mouth to tell him exactly where he could stuff his Bifrost when Thor interrupted them.

"Father, at least allow her to say her goodbyes." Thor said calmly.

Vanessa again was about to say that there would be no goodbyes, but she didn't want to ruin what might be her last chance to see Loki so she snapped her mouth shut. He might know a way for her to stay of she was lucky.

"Fine, I will have the guards escort her down." Odin said summoning to guards and giving them their instructions. Thor bowed as he turned to leave, but Vanessa stood straight glaring right into Odin's eye as she turned on her heel and walked away. Once outside the throne room Thor said he would wait to see her off at the Bifrost and the guards led her to the dungeons.

-0-

The guards led Vanessa to the dungeons explaining about the barrier that kept Loki in, but would not keep her out. They stopped right outside to give them some privacy as they had been ordered to do. Vanessa ran down into the dungeons and passed through the barrier that kept Loki in the cell. He looked up at her in surprise at her sudden appearance.

"Odin is sending me back." Vanessa said in a strained voice. Loki shot to his feet, but couldn't say that he was surprised. He crossed the room taking her into his arms and holding her close. "I don't want to leave you."

"I don't want you to leave either." Loki said holding her tight as the anger of what Odin was doing built inside him. Suddenly he was struck with an idea. "Little Dove, I think I know of a way for you to stay."

"I was hoping you would." Vanessa said as she starred up at him. "How are we going to do it?"

"Not long ago I asked you to marry me and you said yes making me the happiest man in the universe, today I want to marry you." Loki said with a smile.

"What?" Vanessa breathed out her eyes wide.

"Today I want to marry you." Loki repeated as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear before stroking her cheek softly. "That way you would be my wife and therefore cannot be separated from me."

"But Odin would never allow it. Don't we need his permission or something?" Vanessa asked.

"No, we only need to say the words and my magic will bind us together." Loki said as he walked over rummaging through his books and brought out a small white book edged in gold and silver. "But you can't get married in that."

Loki waved his hand and Vanessa watched in wonder as the clothes she was wearing transformed into a beautiful off the shoulder white medieval gown with a small train. The sleeves were fitted to the elbow and then became loose lace bell sleeves and around her waist was a silver braided cored with a ring of silver keys hanging from it. Around the hem, neck, and the ends of the sleeves flowers were embroidered as well as doves. Her hair was loose and in long curls and a wreath of beautiful flowers sat atop her head with ribbons streaming down from it.

"Oh Loki, it's beautiful." Vanessa gushed as she turned.

"You look radiant." Loki said as he looked her over.

"Thank you." Vanessa said softly, blushing at his compliment.

"My pleasure, now I just need to find the right spot." Loki said as he flipped through the book as Vanessa stood next to him watching.

Finding what he was looking for he turned so he was facing Vanessa. Loki held the book between them and it started to rise in the air feeing Loki's hands so that they could take both of Vanessa in his. The book floated in front of them and words started to write themselves in the air. Loki began to read the words that appeared.

"I take you, Vanessa to be my wedded wife. With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we may be one. I will be to you a loving and faithful husband. I promise you my deepest love, my fullest devotion, my tender care. Throughout life, no matter what may lie ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful husband." He paused for a moment smiling brightly as Vanessa smiled tearfully. He made a small movement with his hand and a band of rose gold with diamonds all around it. Loki kissed her ring finger before sliding the ring on next to her engagement ring making her whole arm tingle. "Vanessa I consent and gladly give myself to you."

Vanessa smiled as she began to read the words that appeared for her.

"I take you, Loki to be my wedded husband. With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we may be one. I will be to you a loving and faithful wife. I promise you my deepest love, my fullest devotion, my tender care. Throughout life, no matter what may lie ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful wife." Vanessa said and took the simple rose gold band that appeared before her and gently slid it onto his finger beaming up at him. "Loki I consent and gladly give myself to you."

"Two halves made whole, two hearts one soul." Loki and Vanessa read together. Tendrils of green and blue light came around their joined hands tying them together before sinking and disappearing into their skin leaving behind a warm tingle.

"Is that it?" Vanessa asked.

"That's it, we are now one." He said, his eyes sparkling.

"Then you may kiss the bride." Vanessa prompted him.

Loki smiled lifting his hand till it rest gently on her cheek then leaned down catching her lips in a soft kiss. It was warm and gentle making Vanessa's heart flutter. His arm wrapped around her waist pulling her as close to him a possible while her arms went around his neck pulling him in for a closer deeper kiss. Slowly they pulled apart starring lovingly into each other's eyes.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't give you a real wedding." Loki said as he glanced guilty around the cell.

"There's still time for that later." Vanessa said and they were about to kiss again when three guards thundered down the stairs.

"Lady Stark, the Allfather requests your presence." One of the guards said stiffly.

"Requests or orders?" Vanessa said sarcastically, but the guards only gave her a dark look. Vanessa rolled her eyes and turned back to Loki giving him a quick kiss, but before she could step away he pulled her close until his lips were brushing her ear.

"I look forward to our wedding night." He said in a low voice and Vanessa felt her reaction shoot through her instantly as he pulled her into a heated kiss.

"Lady Stark." One of the men said recalling her attention. Reluctantly she pulled herself away and followed the guards out her dress changing back to her original outfit once again.

-0-

"What is the meaning of this?!" Odin bellowed. Vanessa had been taken to Odin's study where he and Frigga were waiting for her.

"Meaning of what?" Vanessa asked in a bored voice. Odin grabbed her hand and a swirling pattern of blue and green bloomed taking on the name of Loki in Anglo-Saxon runes on the inside of her left forearm. "Oh, I guess that means it worked. Loki and I are married." Odin towered over her a mountain of raw anger. Vanessa merely watched as the tattoo faded away again before looking back up at him with a sly smile. "So should I call you dad?"

"How dare you!" Odin exploded.

"How dare I?" Vanessa snapped, her playful mood changing to anger. "You were forcing me to leave him and I refuse to be parted from him."

Frigga walked over to the two of them inserting herself between them.

"Lady Stark, would you please leave us." Frigga said and Vanessa nodded curtsying to the Queen before she walked out. The guards were standing outside the door looked to Odin.

"Take her to a spare guest room and make sure she stays there." Odin ordered. Vanessa whirled around about to call him a few choice words, but Frigga made a small gesture with her hand and Vanessa took a calming breath before turning back to follow the guards. "She tries my patience."

"She is a maiden in love." Frigga said with a shrug. "You should not have tried to part them."

"It was for her own good. She should not be bound to a man that will spend the rest of his days in prison." Odin said passing his hand over his face. "She does not understand her immortality yet and just how long it is."

"I think she understands more than you give her credit for." Frigga said softly. Odin nodded as he took a seat and Frigga sat on the arm rest wrapping her arm around his shoulder.


	17. Chapter 17

Vanessa grumbled as the guards led her down the halls. The guards shot her nervous looks out of the corner of their eyes. They had all heard about her in the battle of New York and knew not to trifle with her.

Suddenly Vanessa came to a dead stop causing the guards to stumble to a stop as well. Vanessa stared at a set of large double doors feeling that they were familiar.

"My lady we have to take you to the guest rooms." One of the guards said.

"What rooms are these?" Vanessa asked.

"They were Loki's rooms." Another guard said.

"Then I will stay here." Vanessa said walking toward the door.

"Wait, you can't. No one had been able to go into his rooms." The first guard said. "They're protected with his magic. The last person that tried to get in was turned into a rabbit for a week."

"I'll be fine." Vanessa said going with her instincts. "Loki would never harm me nor would his magic."

Vanessa reached for the doors despite the guard's protests and to their shock the moment her hands brushed the doors the doors swung open. Vanessa walked in and was instantly wrapped in Loki's scent.

The room was painted in green and gold with furniture made of dark wood. Books lined the wall and piled on the floors when no more room could be found on the shelves. A large fire place took up one wall of the room with two large chairs and a couch in front of it. Opposite that was Loki's four poster bed and on the same wall of the fireplace was a door that must have led to his bathroom.

"My lady we need to take you to the guest rooms." The guard said.

"I'll stay here." Vanessa said.

"But…" The guard started. Vanessa turned and glared at him.

"I'm staying here." Vanessa said punctuating each word.

"Yes ma'am." They said together.

They closed the doors and Vanessa walked around the room looking over Loki's books with a fond smile. She sat down on the couch in front of the fire place jolting slightly when the fire lit itself.

"Why am I not surprised." Vanessa said laughing softly. Her hands brushed against a book that was on the couch next to her. She picked it up and flipped it open revealing a picture of herself that Loki must have drawn.

-0-

Frigga walked down the corridor until she came to the rooms where the guards had been ordered to take Vanessa, but instead found them standing outside of Loki's room.

"What are you doing here?" Frigga asked.

"When we walked by these rooms and she discovered they were Loki's she insisted that she should stay here." The guard explained.

"Oh I see." Frigga said as she knocked on the doors.

"Come in." Vanessa said. Frigga entered and found Vanessa sitting on the couch before the fire. "I see you found Loki's rooms."

"Yes, they are just so him." Vanessa said as she looked around from where she was sitting. "So how much trouble am I in?"

"None." Frigga answered sitting next to her.

"Wow that must have taken some tall conniving." Vanessa said with a low whistle.

"So you have married my son." Frigga said breaking the silence that had fallen around them.

"Yes I have." Vanessa said as she looked down at her left forearm and willed Loki's name to appear smiling softly down at it. "And I have never been happier."

She could hardly believe it; she had dreamed of this though it was a little different in her dreams. What was her dad going to say or the other Avengers for that matter and then there were all her friends. Fury was going to be beyond pissed, not that he had a say in the matter any way. It was going to be really interesting when she went back for a visit.

"I am glad." Frigga said taking Vanessa's hand in hers. "He has not had an easy life, but you have made it better for him with your friendship and love. I don't know how I could ever possibly thank you."

"The love Loki has for me is all I need." Vanessa said softly.

"Well I could do nothing for your wedding day, but I can do something for your wedding night." Frigga said as she pulled a blushing Vanessa to her feet and took her to the seamstresses.

-0-

Vanessa pulled the dark cloak tighter around herself as she made her way down to Loki's cell. She saw Loki pacing back and forth just on the other side of the barrier. She felt her heart racing just at the sight of him and it took every ounce of her will power to move forward.

She had faced mutant's with incredible powers, soldiers, crazy mad men in iron suits, and an entire alien armada, but it was here and now that she felt like she was about to pass out. She stepped into the cell removing the hood of the cloak so that her hair tumbled out and the moment Loki saw her he paused looking relieved quickly pulling her to his chest.

"They didn't send you away." He breathed out. Within the cell no one could see in or out or hear anything as well; another gift from Frigga.

"No, they didn't, thanks to Frigga if I am being honest." Vanessa said with a giggle as she told him what happened. He thought it especially funny when she told him that she asked Odin if she should call him dad and his reaction.

"Then what took you so long in returning to me?" Loki asked kissing the top of her head. She stepped out of his arms with a sly smile and a blush as her hands rested on the clasp of the cloak.

"Well, I thought that I wanted to look special for tonight." Vanessa said letting the cloak fall and Loki felt his mouth go dry as he looked her over. "Well?"

Vanessa wore a fit and flare shear white lace strapped and accented dress that brushed the floor and allowed only her silhouette to be seen. Loki's gaze went up and down her figure making Vanessa feel heady with emotions.

"You look…" Loki met her eyes with a mischievous gaze that made her knees weak. "ravishing."

Loki took her hand gently pulling her back to him his other hand resting on her hip and caught her mouth in a deep passionate loving kiss holding her tightly against himself as her hands buried themselves in his hair. She let out a startled noise when Loki suddenly picked her up still kissing her and deposited her on the bed falling with her.

-0-

Vanessa snuggled into Loki's chest in an attempt to remain asleep and strong arms complied by tightening around her waist. Smiling she looked up into Loki's sleeping face. He looked so relaxed and his hair was wavy when it wasn't in its usual slicked back style.

She reached up and gently started to comb her fingers through it marveling at its softness. She started to remove her hand, but Loki took hold of it.

"Don't stop." Loki said in a sleep thick voice as he leaned into her touch. She continued to caress his head and he hummed in relaxation. "I enjoyed last night."

"Me to." Vanessa replied recalling the events of their wedding night. It had been everything she could have hoped for and more with exchanges of sweet loving words and caresses that ignited a fire in them both. Neither of them had felt so completely happy in all their lives.

"So what are your plans for today?" Loki asked as he started to kiss and nibble her jaw moving slowly down the column of her throat.

"I thought…we'd…Loki..." Vanessa completely lost her train of thought as he once again showed her how much she meant to him. Luckily this was exactly what she had wanted to spend the day.


End file.
